Tactical Offense
by Dizzydodo
Summary: In which Garak confronts the possibility that Julian may prefer the company of Kukalaka after a lover's quarrel and applies himself to replacing the bear in Julian's affections. Pure fluff and silliness.


It was the muted swish of an opening door that woke him, pale light spilling across the floor as Julian stepped in, already shedding his uniform. Garak very pointedly glanced away from the delectable sight, tucking his hands beneath the pillow to hide the tell-tale twitch of his fingertips. Most nights he would have been pleased to assist with dispensing of that abomination, peeling every scrap of the unflattering fabric from his lover's graceful body, capable hands tracing secrets on living parchment when it was revealed inch by inch…

Any other night but this one.

Feeling Julian's questioning eyes on him, he stretched languidly, spreading over as much of the bed's surface as his form would allow and twining the covers about himself loosely; it was a declaration of intent the young man would not fail to recognize.

Tonight Julian Bashir could make do with what precious warmth his own hot blood provided.

Julian rounded the bed, no shift of cloth to betray his movements; he hesitated, drawing a deep breath before he finally spoke.

"I know you're awake, Garak, and if you had given me even a moment to explain-"

"Explain, my dear?" Garak's eyes slid open, his very best customer-pleasing smile sliding effortlessly into place though his eyes glittered with suppressed emotion. "There is nothing to explain; why shouldn't you seek out the company of beautiful, married, Dabo girls for the pleasure of an intimate conversation?"

"I-"

"There are so few opportunities afforded you for meaningful discussions of any significance, and I'm sure an old man's ramblings couldn't be half so diverting as anything that lovely, young lady would have to say."

"Garak." Julian bit off each harsh letter as though sinking his teeth into the throat of an enemy, his tone uncharacteristically vexed.

In the relative privacy of his own thoughts, Garak permitted himself the luxury of basking in a thoroughly undeserved sense of accomplishment. After canceling their customary lunch this afternoon in favor of seeking out Leeta rather than contenting himself with a tailor's humble companionship, Garak fancied his dear doctor could do with suffering the same pang of disappointment at being so blithely dismissed.

It was petty and spiteful of him, but after so long watching Julian pant for every pretty slip of a girl to ever walk the station, Garak found he still could not quite credit that this extraordinary creature would choose to abandon his philandering ways for a plain, simple tailor whose dubious reputation still clung to him like cobwebs, and was becoming about as substantial after so long in exile.

Patiently he waited for Julian to speak, false innocence written in every line of his face; with a sigh, Julian pulled away.

"As you will, Garak. I'm too tired to argue this tonight. Lights fifteen percent."

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Garak's smile vanished as quickly as it had appeared when Julian finally turned away, fingertips ghosting along the edge of the bed while he felt his way to the other side. However had Humans managed to outstrip every other predator on their home world when their eyesight was so very poor in darkness? It was not a question he cared to think on too deeply, not when there were more pressing matters at hand- such as what Julian was taking such pains to extract from his bag without drawing any undue attention his actions.

Intrigued despite himself, Garak turned to watch through slitted eyes while Julian pulled a… a battered rag from the satchel, gazing at it with remarkable fondness.

Ah. Not a rag- a bear; thin and mended so often it bore little resemblance to the animal of that name. Where had Julian acquired such a sad specimen? Certainly not from Leeta?

Unless it was a sentimental gesture, one last remembrance of the brief time they had spent together; Garak bit back a hiss, grateful that Julian didn't hear the hastily muffled growl that rose in his throat.

It was none of his concern whether Julian chose to accept gifts from old lovers, neither did he have the right to dictate Julian's choice of conversational partners.

At the end of the day it was his bed Julian shared, and the light bruises scattered across the dips and planes of their bodies would have told a passionate tale indeed had anyone else been privileged enough to see them.

Julian slipped in beside him, the bed dipping only slightly beneath his weight as he turned his back to Garak, tattered bear still clutched lovingly in his arms.

The effect would have been altogether more charming if Garak hadn't been so terribly distraught. This was not the way the night was supposed to progress!

They had already established a routine some months before: Garak would steal the blankets, whereupon Julian was supposed to try to yank them away. Garak would wrap himself tightly in the linens until Julian twined himself around his lover, seeking the warmth and softness otherwise denied him; Garak would then make a show of grudgingly allowing him under the blankets with the unspoken understanding that Julian would cling to him for the remainder of the night.

All for warmth, naturally; the blankets were woefully inadequate to the task of covering them both when they slept too far apart… except that the blankets were standard issue and they both knew there was more than enough to be shared between them even if they didn't cuddle. Julian had never been so cruel as to force him to admit it; he had always very generously offered his body heat and demanding embrace without ever waiting for Garak to voice such an undignified request aloud.

It seemed the good doctor's generosity would not extend so far as that tonight, and Garak was loathe to concede defeat so swiftly as this. Tomorrow morning he would see to the business of placating his lover, offering whatever platitudes Julian needed to hear in order to feel that honor had been satisfied, and sincerely meaning every last one though Julian would never credit it.

Pride meant little when weighed against his healer's good graces.

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It was all of an hour before Garak abandoned his resolution entirely; he could not afford to wait until morning to resolve this impasse. Somehow his conditioning had lapsed to such a degree that his traitorous body would not permit him a moment's rest while he still lay there alone, the beckoning promise of sweet warmth and affection within hand's reach and yet light years away.

"Julian." He murmured lowly, voice dipping into that caressing tone his beloved never failed to appreciate; it didn't provoke so much as a sleepy mumble.

Cautiously Garak slid closer to his prey, propping himself on his elbows to loom over the supine form, watching that open face for any sign of acknowledgment. Experimentally, he ran a finger down the curve of Julian's spine, delighting quietly in the spasmodic twitch of skin beneath his fingertip.

He allowed his gaze to drift the full length of the body arrayed so temptingly beneath him, seeking any structural weakness he might exploit; there was a challenge worthy of the greatest minds Cardassia had to offer, a shining opportunity to put his hard-won skills to work.

Dedicated study revealed only one tactical flaw in Julian's position: the bear.

Oh well done, Elim. A brilliant deduction if ever there was one. He pushed the snide thought aside, already considering how he might best make use of this ill-considered opening.

Carefully, Garak slid his arm about Julian's waist, gliding a gentle palm up his ribcage before slipping down to snatch the offending article; Julian only curled tighter about his prize, trapping the hand in the circle of his arms.

It was not quite what he had hoped for, but Garak was nearly desperate enough to accept even that pale imitation of a lover's embrace. When had he allowed himself to become so addicted to the uncomplicated affections this man offered that he could not bear to weather even a single night without some expression of it?

All hope was not lost; if he could just tempt Julian to move the smallest bit there was another desperate maneuver he might try. He splayed his palm across the expanse of Julian's abdomen, seeking out those vulnerable areas that usually provoked a hitched breath or a playful squirm. He nearly purred with satisfaction when his subtle provocation caused Julian to shift his head enough to expose the sensitive curve of his ear. Perfect.

If Julian could have seen the frankly predatory smile that spread over Garak's face just then he might well have requested new quarters.

Alternatively, given his tendency to rash and ill-considered action, the foolish boy might well have returned the challenge two-fold. Garak barely suppressed a shiver of pleasurable anticipation.

He traced the curve of Julian's ear with nipping teeth, chuckling silently when his lover began to twitch beneath the ministrations, grip loosening just enough for Garak to swoop in triumphantly, pulling the ragged bear from Julian's arms with an unholy glee entirely disproportionate to the task.

Distracted as he was reveling in his victory and congratulating himself on his cunning, it was nearly a full second before he realized the slender body beneath him was convulsing spasmodically with barely suppressed laughter. Giving up the fight for lost, Julian opened his eyes, dark hazel eyes clashing with shining blue.

"If you wanted him so badly as that, you only had to ask." Oh, the impudent child!

"Only a passing curiosity, my dear Julian. What is this creature and what possible use is it to you?"

"Kukalaka."

"Are you coming down with a cough?"

Julian snickered softly, his earlier annoyance temporarily forgotten.

"His name is Kukalaka, and having just rescued him from Leeta today I hope you won't mind my saying I would like to keep him close for awhile longer."

Garak reluctantly surrendered the tattered beast, sensing far more beneath the words than Julian had betrayed; he would have to make further inquiries at some point; for now he was content to simply bask in Julian's presence, their lover's quarrel laid aside for the night.

He was going to have to address this business of Julian laying a counter-ambush against him at some point, and come morning there were apologies to be offered for his cutting insinuations; there was also the small matter of this beast's provenance and why it should hold such value for Julian- Garak suspected it was another manifestation of Julian's fondness for battered and roughly-used toys.

Tomorrow was soon enough to plan his reconnaissance; for now, there was nothing he wanted more than breath in Julian's familiar scent as those deceptively strong arms looped about him to pull him closer, long legs tangling with his own until there was no telling where one of them began and the other ended.

Yes, tomorrow would be soon enough.

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Concrit is greatly appreciated; this is my first time writing for this pairing and I'm still trying to get a feel for character voice before I attempt anything more complicated than a one-shot. :)


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